1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to methods and systems and, more particularly, to mechanisms and techniques for moving a heavy device and aligning it with other devices.
2. Discussion of the Background
During the past years, an increased interest in alternative sources of energy has driving the oil and gas industry in exploring fossil fuels off-shore, at higher depths. One such fossil source is liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is a gas that has been converted to liquid form for ease of storage or transport. Liquefied natural gas takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas at a stove burner tip. However, for the extraction and liquefaction process, the off-shore platform needs a consistent supply of energy. One way to achieve this energy is to provide the off-shore platform with a power generation source.
Conventionally, a power generation source includes a fuel supply source, a turbine, and a generator. FIG. 1 shows the turbine 10 connected to generator 20 and also to the fuel supply source 30. Burning the fuel from the fuel supply source 30, the turbine 10 generates rotation motion in the axis 12. The axis 12 is connected to an axis 22 of the generator 20. The two axes 12 and 22 are coupled together via a coupling element 14. The two axes 12 and 22 have to be well aligned in order to prevent damage to the coupling or of the axes. By rotating the axis 22 of the generator 20, the generator 20 generates the electric energy necessary for the off-shore platform. The weights of the turbine 10 and generator 20 are large, in the range of 100 to 250 tons.
Thus, when performing maintenance for these heavy devices, large and powerful cranes have to be available in order to remove, for example, the casing of the turbine for various maintenance operations. Such operations are not only dangerous but also time consuming. For example, a conventional maintenance process may take 45 days to be performed. In addition, the process is dangerous because heavy parts are hanging above the turbine and generator, with the potential of falling and destroying the equipment or injuring the persons beneath.
Further, as the power plant is off-shore, i.e., floating on a barge, the movement of the sea also contributes to the increase danger of having heavy devices hanging overhead. Furthermore, new designs of the turbines and generators require that other equipment associated with the power plant is provided in top of the turbine and generator, as shown for example in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows such an example of a gas turbine 10 connected to a generator 20 and disposed on a base plate 40. The base plate 40 may have plural gimbals 45 that support the base plate 40. The gimbals 45 are supported by the barge 50. FIG. 2 shows how various equipment is disposed at level A, above the turbine 10 and the generator 20. Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows even more equipment disposed at a level B, in top of level A.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that avoid the afore-described problems and drawbacks, i.e., hanging heavy parts, providing powerful cranes, lack of access from above to the heavy devices, etc.